The board’s Junior Selection Committee also honed in on 25 U-19 cricketers who will train at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). Apart from Shaw, Shubham Gill was also included in both squads.

The Background

The 2017 ACC Emerging Teams Cup is an U-23 tournament featuring as many as eight countries. While India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and hosts Bangladesh are allowed to field up to four senior national players over the stipulated age limit, the likes of Afghanistan, UAE, Hong Kong, Nepal can send their full strength national teams.

The heart of the matter

Interestingly, India have opted against naming any senior team player above the age limit and instead will look to utilise the tournament as an opportunity to provide international exposure to their upcoming talents. All matches in this edition will take place in Dhaka between March 15 and 26.

Sportskeeda’s Take

The ACC Emerging Teams Cup offers a platform for the various countries to test the mettle of some of their promising cricketers. With his consistent performances in the domestic circuit over the last few seasons, Aparajith has earned a chance to lead a group of talented players. At 22, the all-rounder already has extensive experience in such competitions and is the right choice to help India defend their title in 2017.